Laminated paddle construction



Sept. 18, 1956 D. v. WEIGAND 2,763,015

LAMINATED PADDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 10, 1955v INVENTOR 1 ATTORNEYSBY y gz LAMINATED PADDLE CONSTRUCTION Don V. Weigand, Memphis, Tenn.

Application March 10, 1955, Serial No. 493,502

4 Claims. (Cl. 9-24) The present invention relates in general to paddlesand the like, and more particularly to the laminated construction ofpaddles or oars designed for use with canoes and small boats.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel boatpaddle or oar construction involving the assembly of a plurality ofsmall components in a manner producing a paddle of light weight which isextremely strong and durable.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novellaminated boat paddle construction wherein wooden components areassembled in a manner producing void portions within the interior of thepaddle blade for producing a light weight paddle without impairing thestrength thereof.

Another object'of the present invention is the provision of a novellaminated boat paddle construction wherein a plurality of layers ofwooden or other sheet material are disposed in the blade region of thepaddle in a unique manner, producing an extremely strong paddle.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein one preferredembodiment of the invention is specifically shown.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the laminated components of a boatpaddle embodying the present invention illustrated in assembledcondition prior to shaping of the components to produce a finishedpaddle.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up theblade portion of the paddle.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a finished paddle made in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 44of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 55of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 66of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, a paddle, generallyindicated by the reference character 10, is to be formed from aplurality of components, preferably of wooden material, into aconventional paddle form for use with canoes, lifeboats and small boats,and comprises the usual basic paddle components of a blade portion 11, aheel portion 12 and a shank portion 13 extending therebetween. Anunfinished blank, indicated by the reference character 14, is formed byassembling a number of wooden components in ad hesively secured relationfrom which the finished paddle is to be ultimately shaped. The core ofthe blank 14 comprises an elongated member 15 of rectangular crosssection forming the shank 13 of the paddle, the lower end portion 16 ofwhich comprises inwardly tapering opposite lateral surfaces 17 andinwardly tapering front and rear faces 18 extending from a pointapproximately 8 to 7 2,763,015 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 inches upwardlyfrom the lower end of the member 15. The elongated core member 15,forming the shank portion of the paddle, is preferably formed of hickoryor other wood which has an elasticity and strength comparable to thatfound in conventional wooden paddles. Overlaid over the upper and lowersurfaces of the core member 15 are thin veneer strips 19 and 20 whichare laminated to the core member to form the shank 13. For artisticreasons, the veneer strips 19 and 20 in the preferred embodiment are ofa dark wood while the core member 15 is of a light wood.

At the upper end 21 of the elongated member 15 a pair of short blocks 22and 23, having a cross section preferably comparable to that of theelongated member15, are disposed alongside the lateral faces of theelongated member 15 and firmly adhered thereto by water-proof glue orother suitable securing means. The upper ends of the blocks 22 and 23are disposed flush with the upper end of the elongated member 15. A pairof relatively thin rectangular pieces 24 of sheet material overlie theupper and lower faces of the enlarged heel portion 12 formed by thelaterally aligned coextensive blocks 22 and 23 and the upper end portion21 with the uppermost and lateral edges of the pieces 24 terminating atthe upper and lateral edges of the enlarged rectangular formationcomprising the heel portion 12. The pieces 24 are firmly adhered bywater-proof glue or other adhering means to the underlying wooden blocksand elongated member 15.

The blade portion 11 of the paddle is of laminated construction, as isbest illustrated in Figure 2. A pair of wedge-shaped elongated woodenstrips 25 and 26 of triangular cross section having bases 27 whichconverge slightly toward the lower end of the paddle are adapted to bedisposed with their upper ends aligned with the point at which theinwardly tapering lateral surfaces 17 of the elongated member 15commence to taper and to be adhered by water-proof glue or othersuitable securing means with their bases 27 in intimate contact with thetapered lateral surfaces 17 over the coextensive portions of saidlateral surfaces 17 and bases 27. The extent of taper of the lateralsurfaces 17 is designed to dispose the bases 27 at the lower ends of theelongated wedgeshaped strips 25 and 26 in abutment with each other. Thisproduces a blade backing portion of substantially diamond-shaped crosssection, as shown in Figure 4.

Panels of thin sheet material, as indicated at 28 and 29, which in thepreferred embodiment are formed of wood veneer with the grain arrangedtransverse to the longitudinal axes of the panels 28 and 29, are adheredby waterproof glue or other suitable adhering means in overlyingrelation to both the upper and lower surfaces of the paddle bladebacking portion formed by the wedge-shaped strips 25 and 26 and thetapered front and rear surfaces 18 at the lower portion of the elongatedmember 15. Rectangular slots 28 and 29 complementary to the portions ofthe veneer strips 1'9 and 20 projecting below the upper edges of thestrips 25 and 26 are formed in the panels 28 and 29 to receive the lowerportions of the veneer strips 19 and 20, as is illustrated in Figure 5.As is shown in Figure 4, the transverse dimensions of the panels 28 and29 are somewhat greater than that of the blade backing portion so thatthe lateral edges of the panels 28 and 29 project for some distancebeyond the apices of the wedge-shaped strips 25 and 26 and suchprojecting edges of the panels 28 and 29 are likewise adhered togetherby water-proof glue or the like.

Additional rectangular panels 30 and 31 of sheet material, which in thepreferred embodiment are formed of wood veneer, are coextensive with thepanels 26 and 29 and are arranged with the grain extending parallel tothe wise adhered by waterproof glue or the like to the exposed surfacesof the panels 28 and 29. These panels 30 and 31 are likewise providedwith slots 30 and 31' complementary to the slots 28 and 29 to receivethe lower portions of the veneer strips 19 and 20. It will be apparentthat by this arrangement, the pair of panels of sheet material formingeach face of the blade 11 are arranged with the grain of the sheetsdisposed at right angles to each other to form an extremely strongmultisheet covering for each face of the blade. 1

Following assembly of this blank 14 and appropriate curing of the glue,the blade portion 11 of the paddle is finally shaped by cutting theenlarged rectangular formation at the lower end of the paddle along thedotted lines 32 and sanding the cut edges to produce a smooth curvededge for the blade portion 11, and cutting the enlarged rectangularprojection at the upper end of the paddle along the dotted lines 33 toform the plane outline of the heel portion 12. It will be understoodthat the front and rear faces of the heel portion 12 must then be shapedto provide the transverse cylindrical concave formations in the heelportion extending from the outer edges of the pieces of sheet material24 adjacent the upper end of the heel 12 into the front and rearsurfaces of the blocks 22 and 23 and upper portion 21 of the elongatedmember 15 to shape the heel portion in accordance with the elevationoutline of conventional paddle heels.

By this construction, it has been found that a paddle can be producedfrom wooden materials in readily available sizes which is extremelystrong due to the coaction of the many wooden components thereof todistribute and resist undue stresses on particular portions of thepaddle, which paddle is, nevertheless, of light weight due to theabsence of material between the lower end of the shankforming members15, 19 and 20 and the lower end of the blade 11, and due further to thefact that light-weight wooden materials may be employed for the veneerpanels and the components projecting laterally from the shankformingmembers 15, 19 and 20, reducing the over-all weight of the paddle belowthat of a paddle formed from a unitary piece of wooden material ofappropriate strength and characteristics required in the shank region ofthe paddle.

While but one particular embodiment of the invention has beenparticularly shown and described, it is apparent that variousmodifications may be made in the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art andare set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank memberterminating at its lower end in an inwardly. tapering region and beingof substantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of saidshank member, a pair of elongated wedge-shaped members disposed inlaterally spaced longitudinal alignment with and projecting beyond saidshank member with their bases overlapping said inwardly tapering regionand secured to opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardlytapering region, and a pair of panels of sheet material securedthroughout their area to each other and extending in overlyingcontacting relation entirely over each pair of correspondingly facinginclined surfaces of said pair of wedgeshaped members.

2. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank memberterminating at its lower end in an inwardly tapering region and being ofsubstantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of saidshank member, a pair of elongated Wedge-shaped members disposed inlaterally spaced relation in a transverse plane of said shank memberwith their bases overlapping said inwardly tapering region over a minorportion of the lineal extent of said bases and secured to oppositelateral surface portions of said inwardly tapering region, and a pair ofpanels of sheet material secured throughout their area to each other andextending in overlying contacting relation entirely over each pair ofcorrespondingly facing inclined surfaces of said pair of wedge-shapedmembers, each of said panels having a dominant grain axis and the grainaxes of the panels of each pair being disposed at right angles to eachother.

3. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank memberterminating at its lower end in an inwardly tapering region and being ofsubstantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of saidshank member, a pair of elongated wedge-shaped members disposed inlaterally spaced relation in a transverse plane of said shank memberwith their bases overlapping and abutting opposite lateral surfaceportions of said inwardly tapering region over a minor portion of thelineal extent of said bases, means securing the portions of saidwedge-shaped members coextensive with said shank member to said shankmember, the ends of said wedge-shaped members remote from said shankmember being secured together in abutting relation whereby a voidtriangular area is formed between said bases and the end of said shankmember, the pair of correspondingly facing inclined surfaces of saidpair of wedge-shaped members forming oppositely disposed backing facesfor a blade for said paddle, and a pair of panels of wood veneerextending entirely over each of said opposite backing faces, meansrigidly securing the panels of each pair together and the inner panel ofeach pair to the adjacent inclined surfaces of said wedge-shapedmembers, said panels being coextensive with each other and the outermostpanel of each pair being disposed with its grain arranged at rightangles to the grain of the innermost panel of each pair. a

4. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated laminatedshank member including a core member and veneer strips adhered to a pairof opposite faces thereof, said core member terminating at its lower endin an inwardly tapering region and being of sub stantially uniform crosssection throughout the remainder of said shank member, a pair ofelongated wedge-shaped members disposed in laterally spaced relation ina transverse plane of said shank member with their bases overlapping andabutting opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardly taperingregion over a minor portion of the lineal extent of said bases, meanssecuring the portions of said wedge-shaped members coextensive with saidshank member to said shank member, the ends of said wedge-shaped membersremote from said shank member being secured together in abuttingrelation whereby a void triangular area is formed between said bases andthe end of said shank member, the pair of correspondingly facinginclined surfaces of said pair of wedge-shaped members formingoppositely disposed backing faces for a blade for said paddle, a pair ofpanels of wood veneer extending entirely over each of said oppositebacking faces, means rigidly securing the panels of each pair togetherand the inner panel of each pair to the adjacent inclined surfaces ofsaid wedge-shaped members, said panels being coextensive with each otherand the outermost panel of each pair being disposed with its grainarranged at right angles to the grain of the innermost panel of eachpair, said panels having coextensive recesses therein for accommodatingportions of the veneer strips of said shank member, and a pair oflaterally projecting block portions disposed in said transverse planeand secured to opposite lateral surface portions of said shank memberadjacent the end thereof remote from said inwardly tapering region toform with said shank member an enlarged heel portion extending incoplanar relation with said blade.

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